


The Last Place I'd Find Someone Like You

by stellacanta



Series: Shiro the Benevolent Demon [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Demons, Demon!Shiro, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-30 08:27:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15747996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellacanta/pseuds/stellacanta
Summary: Of all the places that Keith would have expected to meet a demon, it wasn’t here in a small bookshop tucked away between a florist and a busy convenience store. He wouldn’t have guessed his proprietor was a demon either. Not this muscular man who was kind and always had a book suggestion at hand to anyone who wandered through the door. Not Shiro, who, he learned, liked to tutor the kids that stopped by after school and volunteer at the local animal shelter and had a distinct fondness for cats.Nonetheless he was a demon. Keith was well trained in these matters, and all his training and his instincts told him that Shiro was, in fact, a demon.





	The Last Place I'd Find Someone Like You

Keith had meant to stop by the convenience store, not the bookstore that day. He had intended to pick up a gallon of milk, since he was out, and maybe some eggs. The florist two doors down had been putting out his flowers for the day and he waved when Keith passed by. Keith had waved hesitantly back, the bright orange of the chrysanthemums caused him to look up at that wood paneling facade of the bookstore next door.

Somehow, the sight of it had made him stop in his tracks. He hadn’t even been _aware_ there was a bookstore that had opened here, and he stopped by the convenience store for something or other every two weeks or so. Had the bookstore always been then? Or had it moved it recently and Keith _just_ noticed whatever was there before had been replaced by a bookstore. (And a bookstore? In this day and age of e-books and internet?)

Curious, he had opened the door to that bookstore. At the time, the owner had been chatting amicably with an elderly woman over a stack of books. At the sound of the bell ringing, the shop owner had looked up. The words of greeting had barely left the man’s mouth when Keith had looked at him and realized he was a demon.

“Well,” he had thought to himself as he stared into the demon’s warm gray eyes. “This should be interesting.”

……

Shiro looked up from his accounting when the bell at the door jingled towards the end of the day. He gave a wry smile when he saw that it was Keith who had walked through the door. Figures. “You do know that this shop closes at 6:30pm and that it’s-“ He glanced over at the wall clock that ticked away sedately. “-5:49 right now?”

Keith had just shrugged in response. “I still have over half an hour before you have to kick me out.” He crossed his arms across his chest as he leaned back against one of the book shelves close to where Shiro stood by the cash registers. “Besides, it’s not like you mind or anything. Just kick me out earlier if you’d rather I not show up so ‘close’ to closing time.” There was a smirk on his face. One that told Shiro Keith did _not_ think he was showing up that close to closing time.

Keith would have a point. He sighed and set down the pen he had in hand. “Are you hoping to buy a book for once, or were you hoping to keep me company as usual? There’s a title that came in recently that I have a feeling you’d be interested in. It’s called-”

“-is it so wrong to want to hang out? I mean it’s not every day that you come across a demon that owns a bookshop.” Keith’s tone was deceptively light, and he couldn’t help but notice his gaze was fixed on the window across from him.

Shiro simply grinned but did not otherwise react. Ah, this old reasoning again. “Oh? And what do you think is suspicious about demons owning bookshops? Can demons not do it for the simple sake of liking books and wanting to share that love of books with the world? Must a demon owning something built out of love like a bookshop do it for some nefarious purpose?”

Keith smirked. “I wouldn’t know, are you? You’re the one that’s suggesting there’s something more to you owning a bookshop here. What? Are you trying to trick some innocent soul into buying a book that opens a door to Hell? Something that will cost them their soul?” He pushed himself off the bookshelf and stalked towards Shiro, arms still crossed. “Or maybe you want to tempt them into the world of debauchery and sin, hmm?”

“Ah, I’m afraid that I simply don’t carry books that have that sort of power here. After all, aren’t they banned and confiscated by the authorities whenever they turn up? Oh, that’s not to say there’s a stray book or two on _demonology_ here, in fact, I could show you them since you seem so interested in this subject?” Shiro ignored the glare that Keith affixed him. “Also, yes, there are many demons that would be more than happy to lead you down the path of temptation and damnation, but _I_ am not one of them. There’s an incubus just a few blocks down the street if that’s the _fun_ you’re looking for.” He couldn’t help but chuckle at the spluttering that Keith immediately began to engage in. It was fun to tease him like that, especially when this wasn’t the first time he had explained to Keith that he wasn’t trying to lead humans astray ever since Keith had confronted him about being a demon. (He was. What was worrying was that Keith had picked up on it so quickly, most humans simply never noticed there was anything amiss about him.) “Now, was there anything else you wanted to talk to me about or will you be leaving soon?”

“An incub- are you _sure_ you haven’t come here to lead innocent young men like me astray? I must say, you’re currently the very striking image of a wet dream come to tempt me into sinful acts.”

Shiro affixed Keith with a completely blank stare. Well, this was new. Keith had never tried to flirt with him quite so brazenly before. He wondered what had brought this up. “How many times do I have to explain to you that I’m _not_ here to lead you astray, so to speak, before you get it? I have no interest tempting people. Whether or not you go down a righteous path or not is not up to me.”

Keith pouted in response, clearly not happy with the response. “Well what are you here for then?”

“Books,” Shiro simply responded with a smile. “I’m here for your wonderful books and to introduce whoever who wanders into to one that I hope will become their favorite. Is that not why you come here every day? To find a book to take home?”

“Books, right.” It was clear that Keith was unconvinced, but thankfully he did not expand any further.

……

“Why _do_ you spend so much time on earth then? Aren’t demons supposed to be spreading chaos and shit? Don’t you get bored up here with all this peace, and quiet, and- and _orderliness_.” The way that Keith wrinkled his nose at the word made Shiro think that Keith had something against the idea. He pressed his lips into a thin line but otherwise didn’t comment. If Keith were so against the idea, he had his own reasons for being that way. It wasn’t Shiro’s place to press him further. Keith continued to grumble, “ugh, are you _really_ just here for books and shit? I find that so hard to believe.”

“Yes, Keith,” he said with a put-upon sigh. “I really am here for the ‘books and shit’.” He gestured towards the book he was reading in front of him. “Reading really is quite fun when you find the right books. Writers can be so creative you now.” Shiro looked up from his book to stare at Keith, who fidgeted slightly under his stare. “Are you sure you don’t want recommendations? I could think of a few that you’d might like.”

Keith rolled his eyes. “Yeah, like _that’s_ possible. I’m not much of a read- hey, where are you going?” Shiro smirked and ignored Keith as he wandered down the bookshelves until he came on a certain undecorated tome in black leather with gold edging.

He handed the book to Keith who had followed him there. “Here, it’s a book on demonology since you find it so hard to believe that not all demons are out to tempt humanity from the righteous path.” Keith took it from him and gave it a quick look over before he flipped through it. “It was written by a human, but it serves as a pretty good primer on demonology.”

“A good primer on demonology huh?” Shiro smiled as he watched Keith wander towards one of the tables in the front of the store, seemingly engrossed in the book he had given him. Well, this was a good start.

……

“You know,” Keith asked him many days (and book recommendations) later. “If demons aren’t supposed to tempt humans away from the righteous path, then how come there are demons that do exactly that?”

Shiro gave Keith an approving look when he asked that question. Good, he was learning. “Well, you know how if a human is truly devoted to following the right path, no temptation would be enough to lure them away from it right?”

“Yes?”

“Well, lesser demons will tempt those who- well, whose morals aren’t so firm, and good. Think of them as the separators of those who are truly good, and those who play at being good but secretly are not, or whose faith is shakable and whose morals are loose. In doing so, they are able to rise through the ranks of demons.”

Keith nodded and looked away when he responded. “Oh. I read about that.” For a long moment, Keith didn’t say anything as he skimmed through the open book in his hands. Shiro had thought that was the end of the conversation, when he spoke up again. “You know I also read something else pretty interesting?”

“What’s that?” Shiro couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, amused despite himself.

“That demons actually can’t get to Earth? Apparently, it’s very difficult to and only a handful of lesser demons manage to get through. The only for sure way to get to Earth as a demon is through summoning but-“ Keith trailed off, but he didn’t finish his thought. He didn’t need to. Shiro could fill in the blanks for him. Demons couldn’t get summoned to Earth, because the books on summoning were so hard to come by these days. He nodded for Keith to continue. “Anyway, apparently most demons interact with humans through their dreams rather than physically on the street. That got me thinking though, did you _really_ go through all that effort to open a bookshop? Why?”

Shiro laughed, of course this is what Keith would be so baffled about. He looked down at the book, a new modern fantasy that had been recommended on one of the forums that he was active one, and grinned. “For exactly that reason, really.”

“Huh?”

The confused look on Keith’s face was adorable and he continued with a shake of his head. “It’s like you said, reading Earth is hard enough for any demon, and, yet, it is something that all aspire to be able to do. To breath the fresh air, and to feel the sun on your back.” He tilted his head to the side as he looked off into the distance, a wistful look in his faced as if relieving some pleasant memory. “Why wouldn’t you want to enjoy yourself when you are here? Personally, I like books and reading. I find humans to be fascinating creatures who can be so imaginative. Why not open a book shop where I can share my love with those that pass by?”

The answer wasn’t enough to fully satisfy Keith, whose brows furrowed as he narrowed his eyes slightly at Shiro. “And no one cares about you being up here for so long?”

“Mmm, everything carries on whether I’m up here or down there. I was fulfilling a more administrative task than anything and there are plenty more that can fill my place.”

Keith continued to press on. “And this is truly enough for you? Didn’t know a demon could be happy with just that.”

“Oh? Met many demons to be able to say have you?”

“I-“

Shiro shook his head. “-I was just teasing you Keith, yes, it is enough for me. I can’t speak for all demons, but I know that we all find our own little niche here on Earth. Sometimes, our intentions for being here are pure, and sometimes they’re not. I can assure you that I don’t have any nefarious purpose here, however.”

“Huh, never met a demon like you before.” There was a pause as Shiro affixed him with an amused grin. Keith sighed in annoyance. “And, okay, the only demons I’ve met, ever, are the incubus down the street from the orphanage I was raised in and a bartender on that place down on Ash St. I’ve heard rumors of other demons here and there and caught a sight of one or two just passing through, but those are the only two that I’ve talked to and gotten to know a bit.”

“Interesting company you keep. I know of the bartender that you speak of, we meet up every few weeks to catch up with each other.”

“Oh.” Keith seemed taken aback from the response. “Err, are you two-“

Shiro frowned as Keith trailed off and was suddenly unable to meet his gaze. He coughed. “Let’s just say she’s, not my type. I’m not interested in those of the feminine persuasion like that.”

“Oh.” There was another pause before Keith looked up. “I don’t suppose your type is awkward boys who come here every so often to pester you about why you’re here?”

Well, this was one of the more memorable proposals he had received in a while. “You are aware that being around me drastically affects your chance of getting into heaven after death, yes? Those up above don’t like the taint of demons clinging onto the souls of humans as it turns out.”

“I don’t care,” Keith said with such conviction in his words and gaze that it surprised Shiro. “I don’t think heaven would want me anyway.” He grabbed onto Shiro’s hand when Shiro opened his mouth to argue. “I want this, please.”

He should turn Keith away. Even if Keith didn’t think he’d make it up there, Shiro could tell that there was a purity and goodness in his soul that would make heaven a fool for turning him away. Keith had more than a fighting chance of getting up there. He wouldn’t if he stuck around with Shiro for very long. And yet, he couldn’t push Keith away so easily. The young man had grown on him.

Shiro rubbed Keith’s knuckles with a thumb and he could feel the tension in the young man’s grip loosen. “If this is what you want.”

“It is, thank you.”

They spent the rest of the day in silence, simply reading and enjoying each other’s company. When it came time to close up shop, Keith stayed behind to chat and, together, they walked to the apartment that Shiro lived in a few blocks away. (When Keith’s things slowly began to move themselves into his apartment, he wasn’t a bit surprised.)

**Author's Note:**

> Someone asked if there was more in the demon!Shiro verse I wrote for Sheith week and ... what do you know, there was a bit more :')


End file.
